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Saturday, February 5, 2011

After several years of half-hearted searching I found the sink of my dreams. She was delivered today and I will have to come up with a name for her... I currently think of her as Big Steel... really almost big steal as she was most affordable. All stainless... 6 feet long.. the basin is 18" deep by 36" x26" will accommodate most of my screens. I am told she began her career at Jefferson Hospital, I bought her from a closing restaurant. She is lovely! Now no more excuses... I will purchase a washer and dryer and a new hot water heater. I did go and price things out at Loews yesterday. No more dragging fabric home to wash and screens down the hall to scrub. How exciting!

Between the bullet steamer affectionately known as the Orgasmatron and my new sink I am in stainless steel dyeing heaven. If you look to behind the steamer you will see the sink that is being replaced, adequate, but certainly not in the same league as Big Steel. Even more pathetic is the tiny hot water heater nestled in between the leg of the sink and my blue plastic kitty litter pan ( good for all kinds of things). By the time the water got out of the faucet I was out of hot water.

I will keep you posted on my plumbing progress.. today I will just look lovingly at the new sink!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Spent the better part of the day visiting my old stomping grounds observing student teachers in Upper Darby. Nice to see old friends and watch student teachers learn how to make art available to young students. Nicer still to leave before the end of the school day and get to the studio in time to do a little work! I am sure there is a way to eliminate the sun glare on the window, but it helps capture that fleeting time when the shadows stretch blue across the pink snow just before the whole field turns blue.

I did get here in time to take a few snap shots of the fruits of my "spring cleaning". I found small pieces of deconstructed and clamp dyed shibori that I could make into pieced scarves. Have not had time to have them professionally shot but will share them hot off the serger.

Clouds, blue sky and bronze

This shibori clamp dyed raw silk had been in my sample drawer for at least a year. It's use hadn't suggested itself to me until last week. I find the combination of colors and textures really exciting. The raw silk is lined with a deep sage colored silk gauze.

I only had a small piece of this deconstructed stonewashed crepe, but it was enough to form this new piece. The serged lines are really pleasing to me through the sheer pale chiffon.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

It is hard to remain up beat when the weather is so dreary. The orchids help and the realization that some of my favorite pieces come from experiencing this weather. I actually really like grey or gray in my palette, just not in my daily weather.

This piece makes me think of the ice covered puddles when the ice is thin enough that if forms bubbles and you can see down to the weeds trapped underneath. It was made on a balmy summer day, but I remember walking on those puddles and breaking through them. It always gave a satisfying crunch.

I was also experimenting with using mixed colors that involved MX bosenberry which strike on one side of the crepe de chine and not the other. The pinkish area on the right is gray green on the back. A great advantage in a scarf. Two for one.

back and front you can see the top corner is much pinker

The first time I experienced this I was totally mystified, but now I expect it when I use MX mixed with fast striking reds on this twisted stone washed crepe. It is a beautiful draping silk so it makes wonderful scarves.

"New Jersey Turnpike" Bubble chiffon jacket.

This piece is called "New Jersey Turnpike" and is based on my memories of driving up this highway on gray days like today and seeing the red brambles pushing their way through the sometimes equally gray snow.

It was shown at the Textile Center during Inside/Out, but appropriately enough it is now in the collection of a Jersey Girl.

Now off to the grocery store before all the streets freeze up again and become truly treacherous.